Israel strikes Iran's nuclear sites, kills military chiefs and scientists

Israel launched a massive wave of attacks across Iran on Thursday night, bombing nuclear and missile sites, targeting military leaders and nuclear scientists, and conducting covert sabotage operations on missile and air defence sites, agency reports said on Friday.

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Israel is directly attacking its biggest and best-armed adversary without explicit backing from the U.S., which swiftly distanced itself from the operation. Iran has already launched more than 100 drones toward Israel in response.

US President Donald Trump publicly opposed an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear sites on Thursday, saying he still believed a nuclear deal was possible.

Hours later, Israel began targeting nuclear sites as well as the Iranian military's top brass and senior scientists working on the nuclear program.

Trump told Fox News late Thursday that the U.S. was aware of the strikes ahead of time but was not involved militarily and hopes Iran will return to the negotiating table. He said CENT-COM is on high alert for retaliation against U.S. targets.

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. commander Gen. Hossein Salami was among those killed, along with military chief of staff Gen. Mohammad Bagheri and at least one more high-ranking general, Iranian state media confirmed.